Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Portugal

CLM Assembly in Portugal

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Time to (re) launch challenges and deep breathing

Last weekend we made our second National Assembly. We are in our beloved home of Coimbra and take advantage of this time to look and reflect on the present and especially the future.

With the grace of God, we come to end the review of our directory (which we hope will be approved shortly) and, according to the reality of our communities of life, we draw guidelines for the future based upon the challenges taken in the International CLM Assembly of December 2012 in Maia.

We wanted, as usual, live this Assembly with the presence of those who are in formation. So with them, we shared moments of prayer, food and leisure, living this time in the light of the Apostolic Exhortation “The joy of the Gospel.” So it was with this joy and with the help of Fr Silverio Malta (MCCJ) that being in Assembly we remained in communion with the candidates in formation and all the Comboni family.

In our prayers, the “Joy of the Gospel” was read and prayed in the light of joy, the suffering and hope of the CLM in mission and the peoples to whom we are sent.

In fact, the increasing violence in the Central African Republic and the political instability in Mozambique leaves us restless, in suffering and in communion with the CLM there present and these peoples victims of these situations, but also because of this cross that we find the strength for our walk in faith and hope towards the One who has conquered death and pain.

by Susana Vilas Boas

The laity in the Evangelization

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During the 24th, 25th and 26th Januarythe laity in training met in the house of Coimbra for another meeting. To this was joined Fr Manuel Lopes, Carlos Barros, Liliana, who recently came to the mission and Pedro, with his family, as a trainer.

The issue on which we have focused our study on which was discussed was “The laity in evangelization.”

In this contemporary, globalized world, the man believes in practice more than in theory. The living testimonies become more credible and attractive for contemplation and faith for a stronger and more plentiful dedication. Thus we show that the laity is so important in the process of evangelization as any other agent, since it is through baptism that we receive this responsibility.

God is not indifferent to anyone. And it is for this reason that in His eyes, we are all responsible for spreading His Word, Fount of Life. When I answer “yes” to Christ, I promise and agree as my Creed presenting Him as my identity and passport to the other. Moved by God, Faith and Love, Lay Missionary hold in their hands the announcement of this merciful, compassionate, fair, good and stripped Christ. It comes with the happy and passionate face of God, the one true God that with all shares without distinction.

 

Nobody is a missionary alone. The testimony involves the commitment of all believers – “Participation in the universal mission (…) is the sign of a mature faith and Christian life that bears fruit” (John Paul II).

Liliana, fresh from his mission in Mozambique, also joined us and shared her testimony. It was with some excitement and joy that we listen to, allowing us to travel a bit through the memories that she has entrusted to us.

Another moment of equal importance and full of meaning was the call from Sister Carmo Ribeiro. She could not join us at this meeting because of her health status not so good, but humbly offered. Love also brings this dimension of suffering. Suffering, however, with meaning and dignity. This sacrifice comes, once again, to confirm that the work of evangelization requires the commitment of all of us.

We all are grateful for the contribution of this weekend. Thank you very much for the welcome, and for sharing the beautiful displays of Hope, Life and Friendship.

By Marisa Almeida

 

16 years walking as CLM!

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On January 25 (1998), at the home of the Comboni Missionaries in Maia (Porto) began the adventure of the Comboni Lay Missionaries in Portugal. Many were those who attended this first meeting, and God intended, with the efforts of some, that this exhilarating adventure continues today.
At present, the CLM, inside and outside its borders, testify of Christ as St. Daniel Comboni did. In fact, for us: “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3: 28), so we proclaim Christ – Light of the World and joy of Humanity – to all men and women. For us, this challenging call passes through the explicit announcement as well as the development and human promotion.

16 years later, we are part of the larger Comboni Family and in particular, of the great CLM family extended worldwide. Today, we want to leave a thank you to all who “sow and look after” the CLM seed and all that, with us, continue to live this exciting adventure that makes us dare to go further in the ways of the mission.

by Susana Vilas Boas

Echoes of Christmas 2013 meeting

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“All different, but all united in Comboni wearing the face and the Word of Jesus Christ here and beyond.”

We begin by thanking all those who have contributed directly or indirectly to make possible this Christmas gathering. We are grateful to Sandra for organizing the meeting, to Sister Carmen Ribeiro, Brother Paul and the secular missionary Joanna and Paula for sharing all that is essential for us, LMC candidates, to understand in particular this missionary vocation of the Comboni family. Thanks also to Father Avelino who shared his missionary experience and celebrated the Eucharist. Thanks, finally, to all others not mentioned but that they worked hard to make the meeting possible.

This meeting was full of smiles, hugs, moments of conviviality and animated dynamic. It was the sharing of a joy that with Jesus Christ reborn endlessly. This was a family reunion. We truly felt as a family. We are in the same boat and we rowed in the same direction. In this boat where they are not only all those with whom we live this weekend, but all the other members of the Comboni family no matter where they are and where are they from. We feel with renewed strength and with real and physical certainty of knowing united, not by blood, but by the same creator and make us share the same mission. All different in our vocation but all united in Comboni wearing the face and the Word of Jesus Christ here and there.

By Paula Sousa (Portugal)

 

 

The mission takes place when and where we let to happen

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The Community of Life of Porto went on mission again. From 9 to 10 of November we make mission animation in the parishes of Castelões, Pousada de Saramagos and Vermoim.

In our mission, we were surprised by the missionary and fraternal spirit with which we were received. In fact, on Saturday, the CLM Sandra and Carlos animated “moçambicanamente” the catechesis groups from 7th to 11th grades and the Eucharist – presided by Father Manuel Lopes (MCCJ) – had the collaboration of Susana (CLM) who briefly presented the reality of Central African Republic. At the end of the Eucharist, animation and missionary message continued with the particular involvement of the CLM Franquelim.

Always in communion with this parish, we accept the invitation of the catechists, and the deacon David, and share dinner with the young group following with a vigil of missionary prayer organized by this same group. There, everything spoke of mission. From our side, we saw missionary germinating seeds acting in the heart of this parish. Praise God for the wonders he made!

On Sunday, we went to the Inn of Saramagos and then to Vermoim. In these two parishes we celebrate the Eucharist where we could count with the presence of both the deacon David as the parish priest – Fr Carlos.

Ready to return home, some of us even went to Maia for another meeting of the Vocations Youth team where we met, as usual, all the Comboni Family represented in communion efforts to continue to sow seeds of missionary activity in the heart of so many young from the JIM group around the country.

CLM community from Porto